PhD Oral Exam - Arsenio Paez, Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

This manuscript-based thesis explores the relationships between sleep and sleep physiology during non-rapid eye-movement (NREM) sleep stages 2 and 3, brain-health, and cognition in older adults and persons with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It provides new insights into the associations between sleep, biomarkers of neurodegeneration, and cognition in older adults (chapter I). It also provides new evidence demonstrating that spindle and slow oscillation activity during NREM sleep constitute predictive and non-invasive biomarkers of neurodegeneration, cognition, and mental health in persons with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) (chapters II-III). Sleep microarchitecture can, therefore, also provide novel therapeutic targets for preserving brain-heath and slowing AD progression. It then explores how exercise, a promising and widely accessible intervention targeting sleep physiology, can be an effective intervention for poor sleep in healthy older adults (chapter IV) and persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and AD (chapter V). The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of clinical care of persons with AD, preserving brain-health and cognition in older adults, and implications of our findings for sleep research (chapter VI).

The findings of this thesis extend previous evidence showing that sleep may be one of the most important modifiable risk factors for functional and cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. It can serve as a springboard for future research on sleep-based strategies to preserve brain health in older adults and delay the progression of AD symptoms, with considerable potential benefits for persons with AD, their caregivers, and communities.